Ice cream vending machine

ABSTRACT

An ice cream vending machine capable of vending ice cream immediately upon receipt of ice cream supply, and free of contamination to the vending machine itself and to other components by leakage of a liquid ice cream composition. The ice cream vending machine includes a cooling system, a freezing chamber cooled by the cooling system, a canister arranged within the freezing chamber for holding a bead type ice cream, a cup supplying device arranged outside of the freezing chamber for supplying a cup for holding the bead type ice cream, and an ice cream discharging device for discharging the bead type ice cream from the canister to the cup.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates generally to an ice cream vending machine mainly for unattended selling of articles, and more particularly to an ice cream vending machine for unattended vending of ice cream, which requires strict conditions for maintenance and sales.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] Korean Utility Model Publication No. 96-32433 disclosed an ice cream vending machine that makes soft type ice cream from a liquid composition and dispenses such soft type ice cream to a customer.

[0005] In the ice cream vending machine disclosed therein, the liquid composition of the ice cream in a canister is frozen into ice cream by a refrigeration system, and as a coin is inserted and as a selection button is pressed, a valve is opened to discharge the ice cream therethrough.

[0006] In the conventional ice cream vending machine, however, there is a disadvantage in that considerable time elapses from the supply of liquid composition of ice cream to the formation of the soft type ice cream by the refrigeration system.

[0007] Accordingly, until the formation of the soft type ice cream, sales are impossible. Even worse, if the valve is open accidentally by a mistake of a machine operator, the liquid composition spills, seriously contaminating the vending machine and the surrounding area.

[0008] Furthermore, in the conventional ice cream vending machine, the soft type ice cream formed by the refrigeration system is continuously conveyed through a discharge passage and valve by a conveying screw.

[0009] Since the discharge passage is always filled with ice cream and the cooling effect of the refrigeration system does not completely reach the discharging passage, sometimes, and especially on hot days, the ice cream melts and thus fresh ice cream cannot be dispensed.

[0010] Further, in the conventional ice cream vending machine, since the ice cream is continuously supplied through the valve, ice cream always remains in the valve, and thus a hygienic condition is not maintained.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an ice cream vending machine that is capable of vending ice cream immediately upon receipt of liquid ice cream composition, and also is free of contamination that is caused by leakage of the liquid ice cream composition.

[0012] Another object of the present invention is to provide an ice cream vending machine that always provides fresh ice cream by preventing ice cream from remaining in components other than a canister when the vending machine does not vend the ice cream.

[0013] The above objects are achieved by an ice cream vending machine in accordance with the present invention, including a cooling system, a freezing chamber cooled by the cooling system, a canister arranged within the freezing chamber for holding a bead type ice cream, a cup supplying device arranged outside of the freezing chamber for supplying a cup for holding the bead type ice cream, and an ice cream discharging device for discharging the bead type ice cream from the canister to the cup.

[0014] It is preferable that the freezing chamber is at a temperature ranging from −43° C. to −27° C. Also, the bead type ice cream has a diameter ranging approximately of from 3 mm to 7 mm. The cup has a spoon attached to a lower side thereof for the convenience of a customer. Also, the ice cream discharging device includes a spiral spring.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0015] The above-mentioned objects and the feature of the present invention will become more apparent with reference to the description below describing the preferred embodiment of the present invention in detail, and referring to the appended drawing, in which:

[0016]FIG. 1 is a partially cut side sectional view showing an ice cream vending machine in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0017] The preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawing.

[0018]FIG. 1 shows an ice cream vending machine in accordance with the present invention, including a casing 10, a cooling system 20, a freezing chamber 30, a canister 40, a cup-supplying device 50, and an ice cream discharging device 60.

[0019] The casing 10 includes a casing body 11 having an open front side, and a front door 12 movably connected to the front of the casing body 11 to open and close the casing body 11. On a rear surface of the front door 12 are disposed a banknote distinguisher, a coin mechanism, and a controller.

[0020] The conventional cooling system 20 is arranged on a lower rear portion of the casing body 11, and includes a compressor (not shown), a condenser (not shown), a drier (not shown), a capillary tube (not shown), and an evaporator 21. The construction and operation of the cooling system 20 are identical to the construction and operation of a general refrigeration cycle.

[0021] A freezing chamber 30 is provided within the casing body 11. For heat insulating efficiency, it is preferable that the freezing chamber 30 is spaced apart from the inner wall of the casing body 11, and is heat-insulated by an adiabatic material (not shown).

[0022] The freezing chamber 30 includes a freezing chamber body 31 having an open front side, and a freezing chamber door 32 movably connected to the front of the freezing chamber body 31 to open and close the freezing chamber 30. For heat insulating efficiency, the freezing chamber door 32 is formed by a double structure comprising an inner door 33 and an outer door 34.

[0023] Depending on usage, the inner space of the freezing chamber 30 can be divided into a plurality of chambers, and accordingly, the inner door 33 may be formed of a plurality of pieces. The evaporator 21 of the cooling system 20 is arranged on a rear portion of the freezing chamber 30.

[0024] Air is cooled at the evaporator 21 of the cooling system 20, and the cooled air is then blown into the freezing chamber 30 by a blower 22. To increase cooling efficiency, the blower 22 is preferably located on an upper portion of the freezing chamber body 31.

[0025] A canister 40 is disposed within the freezing chamber 30 that is filled with bead type ice cream. Bead type ice cream is ice cream made in the shape of granules having a diameter approximately of from 3 mm to 7 mm.

[0026] In order to maintain the shape of the bead type ice cream, the freezing chamber 30 is maintained at a temperature ranging from −43° C. to −27° C. Except that the ice cream is in the shape of granule, the ice cream is identical to conventional ice cream.

[0027] Outside of the freezing chamber 30, the cup-supplying device 50 is arranged to supply cups 51 for holding bead type ice cream. Since the construction and operation of the cup-supplying device 50 are identical to a conventional cup-supplying device for general vending machine use, redundant description thereof will be omitted.

[0028] Meanwhile, a spoon (not shown) may be attached to a lower side, or underside, of the cup 51 supplied by the cup-supplying device 50 for the convenience of the customer. Accordingly, after dispensing of the ice cream, the customer may remove the spoon from the cup and scoop the ice cream with the spoon.

[0029] On the lower portion of the canister 40, the ice cream discharging device 60 is provided. The ice cream discharging device 60 discharges the bead type ice cream through a chute 61 and a discharge passage 62 into the cup 51.

[0030] The ice cream discharging device 60 includes a spiral discharging spring 63. The discharging spring 63 is rotatably mounted on a lower rear wall of the canister 40. One end of the spiral discharging spring 63 is connected to a rotary shaft of a motor 64 mounted in or adjacent the freezing chamber 30.

[0031] Accordingly, the canister 40 in the freezing chamber 30 of the ice cream vending machine, constructed in accordance with the present invention, is filled with the bead type ice cream formed in the shape of granules having a diameter approximately of from 3 mm to 7 mm at the temperature ranging approximately from −43° C. to −27° C.

[0032] Accordingly, the ice cream can be sold immediately after the ice cream is filled in the canister, and also, there is no problem of contamination of the vending machine or surrounding components due to leakage of the liquid ice cream composition.

[0033] Meanwhile, when the customer inserts a coin of a predetermined amount in the ice cream vending machine, and presses the selection button (not shown) on the front door 12, first, the cup 51 is supplied down to a predetermined location of the discharging passage 62 by the cup-supplying device 50.

[0034] Next, the motor 64 is driven, and the discharging spring 63 is rotated. Accordingly, by the rotation of the spiral discharging spring 63, the bead type ice cream is conveyed, and falls down to the chute 61 through a discharging port 41 formed on the lower portion of the canister 40.

[0035] After it is conveyed to the chute 61, the ice cream falls down into the cup 51 through the discharging passage 62, and accordingly, the customer takes the cup 51 out through an article discharging opening 13 of the front door 12, and can enjoy the ice cream with the spoon attached to the lower surface of the cup 51.

[0036] Meanwhile, in the ice cream vending machine in accordance with the present invention, once the bead type ice cream falls to the chute 61, the ice cream falls into the cup 51 through the discharging passage 62. In other words, the ice cream is conveyed inconsistently upon demand of a customer.

[0037] Accordingly, when the vending machine is not in vending operation, the components other than the canister 40, i.e., the chute 61 and the discharging passage 62 are free of the ice cream or the residual ice cream. Accordingly, the hygienic condition of the ice cream vending machine is maintained and greatly improved.

[0038] As described above, in the ice cream vending machine in accordance with the present invention, since bead type ice cream is used, the ice cream can be sold as soon as the ice cream is supplied, and also, there is no problem of contamination of the vending machine itself or of the surrounding components by the leakage of the liquid ice cream composition.

[0039] Further, with the ice cream vending machine described above in accordance with the present invention, when the vending machine is not in vending operation, since there is no ice cream or residual ice cream remaining in the components such as the chute 61 and the discharge passage 62, fresh ice cream can be always served.

[0040] Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention should not be limited to the described preferred embodiment, but various changes and modifications can be made within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An ice cream vending machine, comprising: a cooling system; a freezing chamber cooled by the cooling system; a canister arranged within the freezing chamber for holding a bead type ice cream; a cup supplying device arranged outside of the freezing chamber for supplying a cup for holding the bead type ice cream; and an ice cream discharging device for discharging the bead type ice cream from the canister to the cup.
 2. The vending machine of claim 1, wherein the freezing chamber is at a temperature ranging from −43° C. to −27° C.
 3. The vending machine of claim 1, wherein the bead type ice cream has a diameter ranging approximately from 3 mm to 7 mm.
 4. The vending machine of claim 1, wherein the cup has a spoon attached to a lower side thereof.
 5. The vending machine of claim 1, wherein the ice cream discharging device includes a spiral spring. 